Guy is a fighter, in the ring, out of the ring, on Twitter. His blood flows boxing-glove red, and Paul Malignaggi isn’t done lacing them up, and showing the world, and himself, that he isn’t what he showed in his last outing. The 35-in-November-year-old New Yawkah told me that he’s been training, seeing how his body reacts, seeing how his brain deals with the monotony of a camp…and is in discussions to have a comeback fight. Paulie lost a TKO4 to Shawn Porter in April 2014 in his last live scrap.

“We are in talks,” the 33-6 mouthy one, who draws raves as an analyst on Showtime and Fox shows, told me.

Gianluca Branco, a 44-year-old welter from Italy who holds a EBU title, is the target. “But things have been slow moving. Slower than first anticipated.” Branco has won six straight against middling opposition since a 2010 loss to Matt Hatton. Some US fans remember him in losses to Arturo Gatti and then Miguel Cotto, in 2004 and 2006.

No word of where or when yet, that’s cart before the horse stuff. We will keep you apprised.

COMMENTS

-deepwater2 :

Branco has never been very skilled. A sturdy guy but nothing spectacular. In his last few fights he took on boxers with 13-29-2, 19-44, and 8-13 records. He just won that title by TKO in the 6th after being knocked down twice in his hometown of Italy
Paulie has no shot to fight at the top anymore. He is eating too much,going out to much, has his car business to worry about. That said. If he wants one last farewell fight branco might be his best bet. Have it in NYC around the time of the San Gennaro feast.

-stormcentre :

Can't argue with that assessment of the state of play D2.

-Skibbz :

Agreed Deep he will be taken a long 12 by contenders at this stage of his career.. but the EBU? Branco? What if he becomes attached to the belt... and starts to make defences....